Operating mechanism for street-railway switches.



M. H. MOSHER.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR STREET RAILWAY SWITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1910.

996,507. Patented June 27, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1' I3 2 10 I E awue/wtoz Michael 71; Mame)? A Mow u mzuaRRls Pmsns cm, WASHHIUTON; n a

' M. 'H. MOSHER. OPERATING MECHANISM FOR STREET RAILWAY SWITCHES.

. APPLICATION PILED AUG. 5, 1910.

. I I Patented June 27, 19,11.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W 4/50/1062 Ii MUS/267.

rm. NORRIS PETERS c0. WASHlNGION. n c.

OFFICE.

MICHAEL H. MOSHER, OF COLUMBIA CITY, INDIANA.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR STREET-RAILWAY SWITCHES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 27, 1911.

Application filed. August 5, 1910. Serial No. 575,683.

and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements inOperating Mechanism for Street-Railway Switches, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in operating mechanisms forstreet railway switches, and has for one of its objects the provision ofa switch bar connected to a switch point and provided with a triangular-shaped lock positioned to be engaged by a member depending from apassing car in order to effect the shifting of the switch point.

Another object is the provision of a pair of relatively movable barsdepending from a car and means for moving either of said bars intoengagement with the block on the switch rod to effect shifting of theswitch without the necessity of the driver-leaving the car or bringingthe car to a standstill.

With these and other objects in view, which will more fully hereinafterappear, the present invention consists in certain novel details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointedout in the appended claim; it being understood that various changes inthe form, proportion, size, and minor details of the device may be made,within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification;Figure l is a front elevation of a car provided with my improved switchoperating mechanism, and also showing the rails of a main line andsiding in cross section and further showing a switch point and rodprovided with my improved block. Fig. 2 is a perspective plan View of aportion of a switch point showing the switch rod and block. Fig. 3 is adetail perspective of the members for engaging with the block and alsoshowing the means for actuating the members. Fig. 4 is a perspectivebottom plan view of one of the shoes.

Slmilar numerals of reference are employed to designate correspondingparts throughout.

The main rails are designated by the numerals 5 and 6,.t-he siding bythe numeral 7 and the switch point by the numeral 8. Positioned adjacentto the free end of the switch point is a plate 9 extendinglongitudinally of the cross ties, and arranged on the upper face of theplate and adjacent to its opposite ends are straps 10 and 11, the medialportions of which are spaced over the upper face of the plate andprovided with guides. The shank portion of the switch rod is slidinglyfitted in said guides, and at one end terminates in a hook 13, whichstraddles the base flange of the switch point. The shank 12 is providedadjacent to its opposite ends with oblong slots 13 and depending fromthe medial portions of the guides are pins 15, which are received by theslots, and form stops for limiting the movement of the switch rod.Positioned on the upper face and at the medial portion of the shank 12is a triangular-shaped block 16, the said block being somewhat greaterin length than the width of the shank 12 and its opposite sidesslidingly curved to provide cam surfaces 17 The car is designated ingeneral by the numeral 18 and the dashboard thereof by the numeral 19.Secured to the medial portion of the dashboard and adjacent to the upperside thereof is a shaft 20, on which is j ournaled a pinion 21. Anoperating handle is designated by the numeral 22 and has its lower endportion fixedly secured to the inner face of the pinion 21.

A pair of channeled guide members are designated by the numerals 23 and24, and are positioned above spaced openings formed in the floor of thecar and on either side of the central line of said floor. Slidinglyfitted in the guides 23 and 24 are rack bars 25 and 26, the teeth ofsaid rack bars being on their opposed inner surfaces and engaging withthe teeth of the pinion 21.

Rising from the upper end portions of the guides 23 and 24 and arrangedon the outer sides of said guides are uprights 27 and 28, the upper endsof which are connected by an arcuate-shaped rack 29. The front face ofthe operating handle 31 is provided with a spring-pressed pawl andpivoted to said front face and above the pawl is an angularshaped handle30, connection between one side of the handle and pawl being establishedby means of a link 32. The pawl normally engages with the teeth of therack 29, and when lifted by means of the handle 30 may be oscillated. Itwill be evident when the operating handle 22 is oscillated that thepinion 21 will be likewise oscillated, whereby a relative reciprocatingmovement will be imparted to the rack bars 25 and 26. The rack bars 25and 26 extend through the openings in the floor of the car and at theirlower ends are provided with hearing shoes 33. The bearing shoes 33 arearranged on the opposed inner faces of the rack bars and the inner facesof said bearing shoes are curved to provide cam surfaces 34.

By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the block 16 is sopositioned that when the switch point 8 is open it will lie in the pathof the shoe 33 positioned on the right in Fig. 1, thus it will be seenwhen the operating handle is moved to the right and the rack bar '25moved downwardly until the shoe 33 is in the horizontal plane of theblock 16 that the said shoe will engage with the right side of the blockand owing to the cam surfaces 17 and 34 the switch point 8 will beshifted as the shoe 33 passes over the side of the block. It will beevident when the operating handle is moved to the opposite end of therack the rack bar on the right will be lifted and the opposite rack barlowered so that when the shoe at the lower end of the rack bar on theleft engages with the lock the switch point will be shifted in theopposite direction.

From the foregoing, it is evident that I have provided a device which iscomparatively simple in structure and inexpensive in manufacture,embodying few parts and these so arranged that the danger of derangementwill be reduced to a minimum.

I claim In a switch operating mechanism the combination with a pivotedswitch point, a switch rod, and a block secured to the switch rod; of apair of vertically disposed rack bars slidingly fitted on a car, andprovided at their lower ends with shoes having cam surfaces, anoperating handle movably fitted to the car, and a pinion secured to thehandle and arranged between and engaging with said rack bars, wherebymovement of the operating handle will impart a relative movement to saidrack bars and position the cam surfaces of one of said shoes to engagewith the block to effect shifting of the switch point, and springelements on the lower faces of said shoes, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL H. MOSHER. V

Witnesses FRANK HELLER, HARRY HAR'rsooK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). O.

